Creating a ‘Yummy’ Content Strategy

While planning a large family dinner, I realized that I was really creating a content strategy.

My dinner content strategy had a lot in common with my just-developed forklift safety content strategy where I created the primary message (the entrée) and all the corollary messages (side dishes) that would be of interest, or satisfying, to my ‘audience.’

Which means one of two things:  I have discovered a really apt analogy or I need to stop taking my work home.

Anyway, to me, a good content strategy calls for the following:

1.  Developing the primary (and also secondary and tertiary) messaging.

2.  Creating a plan on how to take this messaging to the various market/audience segments.

3.  Making sure that the message is both topical and relevant to your target audience(s).  (Using primary or secondary research to confirm your suppositions.)

4.  Deciding on the various avenues/activities to use to get your content ‘seen.’

5.  Developing high quality, thought-leading content that is appropriate for the various media and the various forms of communication chosen (white paper, webcast, case study, Web site, etc.).

6.  Developing a spreadsheet that chronicles all activities/touchpoints.

7.  Putting the metrics in place to know what works and what doesn’t.

And, after all of this is done, going home to eat a well-planned and though-provoking dinner.